auto drivers, handbrake?

utajoker

utajoker

utajoker

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Ive had an auto 330i for nearly a month and im starting to get in the habit of not putting the handbrake on and just having it in park.

Anyone else do this?

If im on a bit of a hill i will use it but if the road is flat i dont bother, i usually find my self driving off with it still on.

Is park like leaving it in gear in a manual?
 
I think most auto drivers do this - I've got an electronic handbrake and only apply it when I'm on a steep hill. One thing to remember is they can seize if you don't use them, and that's an MOT failure, as my dad found to his cost a few years back. :p
 
I use mine. In fact, it auto-engaged at times in the first auto I had.

I don't have an electric one now, it's a parking brake engaged via a pedal and released by a catch on the dash. I use that a lot more than I used the electric one.
 
geekman said:
I think most auto drivers do this - I've got an electronic handbrake and only apply it when I'm on a steep hill. One thing to remember is they can seize if you don't use them, and that's an MOT failure, as my dad found to his cost a few years back. :p
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They can't really seize if left "off' or never used.

For some reason, the E60 handbrake is shocking, so I rarely use it. It's about to have a complete rear brake overhaul next weekend anyway, so hopefully that will solve it. For some reason, I hate adjusting handbrakes.
 
It's worth putting the handbrake on before putting it in park. Takes the strain off the transmission's parking pawl.

Stops the car running away if that breaks too. You wouldn't leave a manual on a hill with the handbrake off, would you? :)
 
You're not the only one, both my parents drive automatics and most of the time they just leave it in park. If I was driving auto I would put the handbrake on as I would feel safer
 
Django x2 said:
They can't really seize if left "off' or never used.

For some reason, the E60 handbrake is shocking, so I rarely use it. It's about to have a complete rear brake overhaul next weekend anyway, so hopefully that will solve it. For some reason, I hate adjusting handbrakes.
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It was a long time ago so I can't remember all the details, but I believe it seized in the off position, i.e. it wasn't engaging when the lever was pulled.
 
Never ever use the handbrake in my auto cars (or parking brake, Mercedes dont have hand brakes). They get tested as part of the MOT every year anyway, so there is little chance that it would seize up over that time period. Even if it did, the MOT garage would need to fix it for the MOT anyway.
 
I always did, even though the handbrake on the Volvo was rubbish.

My old Xantia auto would somtimes roll back, so got used to using the handbrake.

EDIT: #autodrivinghabits anyone else brake with their left foot?
 
Lashout_UK said:
It's worth putting the handbrake on before putting it in park. Takes the strain off the transmission's parking pawl.

Stops the car running away if that breaks too. You wouldn't leave a manual on a hill with the handbrake off, would you? :)
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I occasionally leave a manual on a hill with the handbrake off, yes. It's not going anywhere in gear. Normally though I allow it to become stationary (in gear with the engine off) and then apply the handbrake afterwards as a failsafe.. slightly back to front maybe..

My automatic automatically applies the handbrake when I take the key out. And automatically disengages it when I drive away.
 
I always put the parking brake on when driving an auto. Force of habit from driving a manual most of my time. IIRC in the handbook of the Audi S-Tronic it said something along the following lines:
You must always apply the parking brake and not rely on the gearbox park. Relying on the gearbox park can damage the gearbox and make it difficult to shift out of park into drive.​
 
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